No fewer than 60 members of the House of Representatives have commenced moves to return Nigeria to a parliamentary system of government in 2031, by amending the 1999 Constitution.
A spokesperson for the lawmakers, Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP-Sokoto), made the disclosure at a press conference at the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
Dasuki said the proposed amendment would significantly impact the nation’s political landscape.
He added that the lawmakers were advocating a transition from the current presidential system to a parliamentary system at all levels, including federal, state, and local governments.
The lawmaker said: “Our founders, in their wisdom and in a political atmosphere devoid of compulsion, considered the interests of their native peoples, and their desire to live together led them to adopt the parliamentary system of government.
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“They considered a country where truth and justice reign, where no man is oppressed, and where all citizens live in peace and plenty, and adopted the parliamentary system of government.”
Dasuki noted that the collapse of the First Republic and the long stretch of military rule culminated in the adoption of a new system of government, fashioned after the United States Presidential System.
He added: “Over the years, the imperfections of the presidential system of government have become glaring to all, in spite of several alterations to the constitution to address the shortcomings.
“The system has denied the nation the opportunity to attain its full potential.
“Among these imperfections, are the high cost of governance, leaving fewer resources for crucial areas like infrastructure, education, and healthcare.”
Dasuki stressed that the system had hindered Nigeria’s developmental progress as it vested excessive powers on the executives, who were appointees and not directly accountable to the people.
Also speaking, Wale Raji (APC-Lagos) said the move was to start a national conversation on the need for a transition from presidential to a less expensive parliamentary system of government.
Raji said: “The process may not terminate with the current administration; it may go beyond 2027, but we have set the ball rolling. The actual commencement may be 2031.
“We have initiated a process, and history will record it that a group of lawmakers sought the need to reduce the cost of governance, and if a group of lawmakers scuttles it, history will record it.”
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